via Getty
SOCHI, RUSSIA – JUNE 15: Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal embraces team mate Bruno Fernandes during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group B match between Portugal and Spain at Fisht Stadium on June 15, 2018 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
via Getty
SOCHI, RUSSIA – JUNE 15: Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal embraces team mate Bruno Fernandes during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group B match between Portugal and Spain at Fisht Stadium on June 15, 2018 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
The FIFA World Cup is coming back after four long years. The last edition of the tournament was held in Russia in 2018, but this time, Qatar will be the host. Moreover, the World Cup will be held in the months of November and December, and not the usual June or July.
This was done to combat the problem of high temperatures in the middle-eastern country. While the temperatures touch the soaring 40s in the summer, the mercury stays around the 25-degree Celsius mark in the Winter. Therefore, Qatar has come up with a solution to the problem.
They have installed several air-conditioning units in all the stadiums that will host matches in the World Cup. The technology involves the use of Solar energy and pumps in cool air inside the stadium.
View this post on Instagram
The FIFA World Cup will feature cool and clean air
Dr. Saud Abdulaziz Abdul Ghani, a professor at Qatar University, was the brains behind the project and explained the functionality of the technology. In an interview with FIFA.com, Ghani explained that the air-conditioners will not only cool the air but also purify it.
They wanted to make the experience better for people with allergies, and hence, the clean air will be suitable for everyone.
“We are not just cooling the air, we’re cleaning it. We’re purifying the air for spectators,” Dr Ghani said.
The Professor explains how the air conditioners work
Dr. Ghani revealed that the cooled air was drawn back, re-cooled, and filtered before being pushed out into the stadium. He added that the wind from outside could not enter the inside of the stadium, and the size and design of all eight stadiums had to be altered to block the warmth from outside.
This experiment has the backing of the Qatar government, and if it works, it could mean that several countries around the world could adopt this approach. The problem of high temperatures isn’t prevalent in Europe and occurred rarely during heat waves.
Players just take a cooling break in between halves and got in with the match. However, it’ll be interesting to see if the rest of the world follows the example set by Qatari stadiums.
